2008 Woodie Awards
Survive a zombie attack with 'World War Z'
By: Jade Lee Culberson
Issue date: 1/22/07 Section: Entertainment
Max Brooks provided us with a guide to surviving possible zombie attacks in "The Zombie Survival Guide" (2003). Now Brooks is back, with an eerily realistic account of a fictional war in which the world was overtaken by zombies called "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War."
Brooks tells the stories of people touched by the world-wide zombie war across the globe. The individual tales feel so real, with such detail and expression, that it's hard to believe one person could write from so many perspectives. Though it is clear Brooks is expressaing his own political ideas through this work, politics never gets in the way of heartbreaking - or, occasionally, heartwarming - stories of a world torn apart.
From the story of an Australian astronaut who risked his life and health believing he would likely never be rescued while on a space mission during the outbreak to a chaplain in Siberia who was charged with the task of mercifully shooting soldiers who had been bitten by zombies, the tales told by Brooks' characters are the ones that would happen if the dead ever did happen to rise from their rest. Brooks gets under your skin and into your head.
Heroic anecdotes, such as American military stand against the walking dead in Yonkers, N.Y, remind us that not everyone gets out alive, even when we win.
Brooks does keep a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor (what else could you expect from Mel Brooks' son), and refers - on several occasions in the book - to the use of a civilian survival guide that was used by Americans during the war.
Just under 350 pages in hardcover, "World War Z" is worth the read for everyone who enjoys zombies, conspiracy theories and survivalist fiction. Be warned, however, this isn't a gory sci-fi movie in print form. If you want George A. Romero's "Dawn of the Dead," go rent the film - "World War Z" is a character study about the lives touched by the events more than the events themselves.
Brooks tells the stories of people touched by the world-wide zombie war across the globe. The individual tales feel so real, with such detail and expression, that it's hard to believe one person could write from so many perspectives. Though it is clear Brooks is expressaing his own political ideas through this work, politics never gets in the way of heartbreaking - or, occasionally, heartwarming - stories of a world torn apart.
From the story of an Australian astronaut who risked his life and health believing he would likely never be rescued while on a space mission during the outbreak to a chaplain in Siberia who was charged with the task of mercifully shooting soldiers who had been bitten by zombies, the tales told by Brooks' characters are the ones that would happen if the dead ever did happen to rise from their rest. Brooks gets under your skin and into your head.
Heroic anecdotes, such as American military stand against the walking dead in Yonkers, N.Y, remind us that not everyone gets out alive, even when we win.
Brooks does keep a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor (what else could you expect from Mel Brooks' son), and refers - on several occasions in the book - to the use of a civilian survival guide that was used by Americans during the war.
Just under 350 pages in hardcover, "World War Z" is worth the read for everyone who enjoys zombies, conspiracy theories and survivalist fiction. Be warned, however, this isn't a gory sci-fi movie in print form. If you want George A. Romero's "Dawn of the Dead," go rent the film - "World War Z" is a character study about the lives touched by the events more than the events themselves.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
andrew williams
posted 4/24/07 @ 2:07 PM CST
ive been wanting to by this book but i cant find it anywhere can someone send me a copy or something tell me at melony.williams@sbcglobal.net on myspace
john fram
posted 6/04/08 @ 1:41 PM CST
this was the worst most gay ww1 website ever
Alan John McCafferty
posted 7/01/08 @ 2:38 PM CST
Of course Jade would post a review on WWZ! Ha ha, it really was an amazing book; I'm reading it for the second time. I heard (via Fangoria Magazine) that Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios were competing for the rights to make a movie before the book was even published. (Continued…)
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